This was my first post after the Wolf Pack took over the running of Robert's blog....
By William Pattison, aka Eric Morse
For Horror Bob Blog
I have to say, people, that as much as I love horror I'm disgusted with the horror community....
I know what your reaction is going to be...What's up your ass now??? Here is the thing, it seems to me that people in the horror community have the attitude that if you don't go to a half dozen conventions a year and fill your Facebook profile with pics of you standing around with horror celebrities you are a nobody in this community. It doesn't matter if you made an impact in this genre or if you step up and help people without hesitation and give 120%. Unless you are a member of the elitist inner circle you don't mean a thing...
Oh fucking, God, you say, here he goes again. Yes I am. A couple days ago on the messageboard, From Dusk Till Con, I was informed that I'm nothing but a cheap fan fiction writer who runs a cheap public access podcast and that I'm being stupid to expect anyone to have me as a guest at their convention. Hell, for the past six months I've been practically begging podcast and horror magazines (including Fangoria) to interview me. I want to talk about my books, especially my web published book I put out for free for the fans, but all I hear is crickets and silence.
I have to say I hate hypocrisy. The majority of us horror fans have always been treated like trash by the outside world. When I was a kid I was literally beaten down by the kids in school because I was one of those horror/sci fi geeks. In one instance a group of kids laughed at me as they broke two of my fingers. Now, I've noticed the same arrogant us and them attitude among members of the horror community. It's like if you don't hang out with this group at conventions or you don't belong to these organizations you are trash. These people get the red carpet thrown out to them by convention organizers. They only have to ask to do podcasts and magazine articles. It's not that these people have made any bigger impact on the horror genre then say me or Victor Miller, it's just that they are part of this high school mentality social political crapfest that has contaminated our community. It makes people like Victor and I literally get treated like beggers with bowls when it comes to conventions or just trying to promote ourselves in this community. It doesn't matter that I wrote the first original novels based on a slasher franchise, or that Victor wrote the script that started the F13 franchise...we are not in their select social group, thus we are considered inferior.
This has royally gotten to me the last few months. Being shit on by Reyna Young for the only North California horror convention has just brought it to a head.
Last month I got so depressed that I nearly pulled a Dark Spider and walked away from the horror community and the social community in general. You can take only so many beat downs before it starts to take it's toll. But then I got mad and changed my mind. To fucking hell with these hypocritical jackasses. Why should I have to give up the thing I love and walk away to die. I have as much right to be able to do conventions and promote myself...screw them...I bellowed within.
So, here is the thing...why am I calling members of the horror community hypocrites??? Here is my answer we are a community of people who were treated like shit, beaten down, and called inferior by non-horror fans for our love of this genre...Why the fuck are we doing this shit to our own. What arrogance drives this crap??? The people copping this attitude should be ashamed.
My dear friend April and JimmyO Burril said in an interview the one thing they love about the horror community is that they help and support their own. I wish it was true.
I will say this, I have supported anyone who has come and asked me for help. If they wanted to promote their film, project, or event I would not only have them on my show, I'd post on Facebook and open threads on messageboards to help them. This is not going to change with me. This is who I am. It's just I wish my fellows in this community would do me that same respect back. It's like what John Rambo said in Rambo Part 2 when Troughtman said that John shouldn't hate America. John said, "Hate it? I'd die for it. I want what they want and any man who gave his all and spilt his guts for his country wants. For his country to love us as much as we love it...That's what I want..." Enough said...
